This description can easily fit into any blockbuster film but it is instead describing a book that is within a genre that is typically not easily identifiable with this category: Hard Science Fiction Books. Andy Weir’s The Martian is a definitive science fiction book that manages to draw in readers who normally would not read hard science fiction. The Martian manages to create a perfect mix of scientific facts and jargon with a fast paced plot. This perfect blend allows for science buffs to enjoy the accurate description of physics and space while also allowing a fiction junkie to just enjoy the thrill of following the protagonist trying to survive on Mars. Someone who personally loves Neil deGrasse Tyson and has an eclectic choice of fiction, The Martian is the best of both worlds: fictionalized science.

The Martian is Andy Weir’s first novel and he has been candied that during the writing of this novel he received numerous edits and corrections from people in the scientific field. As part of his drafting process he would post parts of the novel on several scientific blogs and ask the scientific community if the plot or character actions were accurate or even possible in space and Mars. That is what makes The Martian such a defining science fiction book, Weir completely steers away from fantastical plots and makes the actions of the protagonist as realistic as possible to how a human could or would survive on Mars.

The Martian is for all intents and purposes is a semi-space chronicle. Instead of the protagonist, or main characters, charting their way through space we have one who is stuck on one planet. The time period isn’t set in some far off future but the 21st century and allows for the reader to engage directly with the idea that man could soon walk and live on Mars, albeit accidentally.

The novel opens with Mark Watney’s supposed death, essentially his biometrics that was attached to his space suit was cut off during a storm and it appeared to other crew members he was killed in the same storm. The problem begins when his crew incidentally leaves him behind and it continues with Watney waking up on Mars and discovering that not only has the crew left but all means of communication with NASA and the spaceship was destroyed in the storm. The rest of the novel follows Watney and NASA as they focus on one goal: how to keep Watney alive on Mars for several years until another crew lands on Mars.

There are two main viewpoints throughout the entire novel; Mark Watney’s journal entries and NASA leaders. Watney’s perspective is told through daily logs. He begins these journal entries as a way for future astronauts who will land in Mars in a few years’ time to access his means of survival. The first third of the novel is only Watney’s journal entries and his attempts to come with terms with NASA not knowing he is still alive. He is essentially trying to survive while also knowing survival will not be long lasting; there is only so much food before he can no longer produce essential nutrients needed to survive. These first few chapters are jarring and emotional, whatever Watney is feeling we immediately see in his journal entry. Watney purposefully writes for an audience that will discover his journal entries long after he dies. One would expect that since he is expecting to die his journal entries will be full of life advice and profound life thoughts. Though Watney is reflective he is often quite humorous throughout the novel, several raunchy and survival jokes are written throughout his logs. The rest of the novel alternates once Watney and NASA find a way to communicate with each other.

The overall theme of the novel is perseverance not equating to hostile/unbearable reality. There are many instances when Watney’s death seemed inevitable: when essential machines stopped functioning, NASA debating if they should send a crew to save him or leave him to eventual death, and whether Watney himself had the wherewithal to survive long enough for help to come. All of this wrapped into a protagonist that somehow conveys to the reader a typical human without Herculean strength. This is why I believe this novel was such a standout under the hard science fiction genre. It had many opportunities to play into the fantastical science drama but it did not. Andy Weir was diligent in ensuring that the novel was grounded in reality and it was much better for it.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in trying out hard science fiction books but apprehensive about the genre. What I loved most about the story was the ease of reading ‘hard scientific facts’ intermixed with quirky antidotes exchanged between NASA and Watney. I did at times get a bit lost when the narrator explained his reasoning for employing certain scientific methods but that is because I am not a botanist or chemist. Of course people will ask whether the book is better than the movie and I always leave that up to the individual. Having seen both they are both comparably good in their own rights. Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who likes medium to fast paced plots with well-developed characters.

I grew up reading and have always naturally loved books. Books of all types can draw me in. However, I have always loved science fiction type books, or in other words, books that can be a bit weird. Weird can be good, or at least I think so! After all who wants boring. Over the years I have read many, many, many books and series of books. I strongly suggest you take the time to read these three books. I will include a summary of each one so you can decide which one you want to start with first:

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks. This is an increditble book about mankind almost becomeing extinct. In this story Max felt a feirce urgancy to travel the world and document all surviving peoples stories of the Zombies that they faced. Many of the stories from even small children. He felt it was important to document all teh facet of the recent events. People may be intelligent but they are prove to forget the reason things happen and therefore repieat history. This book is truley a nail bitter that will leave you begging for more.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel is a national best seller for good reason. The story is about the collapse of civilization. The story jumps back and forth between before and after the collapse. This story is a facinating one as it does not just focuse on how to survive a great apocalypse but how to learn to live again. Making the point that survingin is not living, to live we need to learn to enjoy and appriciate the finer things in life. Therefore the main theme of the story is survival is insufficient. Great book if you want to think about the physicallical aspect.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is an exciting but very scary setting. It is a time when the nation is divided up into districts. The districts are all controlled by the capital in a very cruel and harsh way. Every year the Capital forces two children from each district to fight to the death, leaving only one survivor. This book is written from the perspective of Katniss Everdeen, a sixteen year old girl that is forced to fight in the games in order to protect the family she loves. My opinion of this book is that it is by far one of the most intersting and imaginative books I have read in a long time. The book takes you to a time in the future where war has changed everyones lives. It makes you think about how cruel people can become just by growing up in an enviroment that says this is okay. The book is targeted to preteen to mature. It does have violence due to the child on child fighting. Therefore may not be appropiate for overly young or sensitive audiences.

From Hollywood to the New York Times best sellers list, the Post-apocalyptic Science Fiction Book is the new hot craze. But this genre is not new. It is well stocked with so many good books that listing them all would be impossible. I’ve compiled a list of ten that offer the full variety of the genre and includes books from world famous authors and novels that have become summer popcorn flicks. Whether fighting an oppressive government, zombies, toxic air or even vampires, this list has something for everyone. Please do not overlook the books on this list that have already been made into movies. The level of detail and storytelling in these novels is impossible to convey in a two hour movie. I now present to you my top Post-apocalyptic Science Fiction Book list, in no particular order.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay continues the story of Katniss Everdeen. After surviving the arena, she has become the face of the revolution against President Snow and the ruling class of the Capitol. The rebels try to convince her to use her fame gained in the arena to unite the districts through propaganda films. Katniss must balance the rebel needs for the war while trying to achieve the ultimate revenge on President Snow.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

A futuristic society is organized into five factions, each based a specific virtue of selflessness, peace, knowledge, honesty, or bravery. The kids are raised in their parents’ faction, but are given the once in a lifetime choice of changing factions once they turn sixteen. Beatrice Prior is now facing that choice, and struggling to keep a secret that unravel society and destroy all she loves.

Station Eleven by Emily St John Mendel

Station Eleven weaves the mystery of three characters set in the days preceding and after the collapse of civilization due to a deadly flu. Connected by a single event during a stage production of King Lear, Arthur, Jeevan and Kirsten struggle with the way the world was, and what it has become in a decade spanning tale full of suspense and mystery.

Humanity is surviving in silo-like structures, hiding from toxic air. Wool focuses on Juliette, whose mistrust of the community leaders lead her to make a shocking discovery. She strives to lead humanities survivors toward a fresh start, where the people are told the truth and empowered instead of being lied to, manipulated, and controlled by the ruling elite.

Thank you for reading through these selected titles. These titles all contain such creative storytelling and strong character development that I sincerely hope you will find a place on your reading schedule for all of them.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancy ReviewThe alien invasion begins with an EMP, massive coastal destruction, and an evolved Ebola virus that wipes out billions of people. The fourth wave of the invasion is aliens using human bodies as host. What is the 5th wave, and can Cassie survive it and rescue her brother?Struggling with who to trust when anyone could be the alien enemy, Cassie must develop the skills to survive alone and combat the invading forces.

Are you a science-fiction lover?Want to share your love of science-fiction with your children?Perhaps read a bed-time story or give your child their first book?If you don’t know where to start, the following list is my top ten best science fiction books for children.

Citizen of the Galaxy

This book does not take place in the Milky Way. Instead, it takes place in a distant galaxy, where slavery is still a common practice. Thorby is an orphaned boy who is sold at auction. However, he is sold to Baslim, an abolitionist spy. The book is told through third person, looking mostly at Thorby’s thoughts and actions. This book is written by Robert Heinlein, a children’s sci-fi novelist and is a fast read.

A Wrinkle In Time

A Wrinkle in Time tells the story of three children as they search for their father, who disappeared while working the tesseract (a wrinkle in time) program. This book is written in third-person focusing specifically on the child Meg. The book takes place on Earth, and then they travel to different dimensions. This book is fun to read, and will keep the readers on their toes.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

This is a classic novel by Jules Verne which everyone should read once in their lifetime. It tells the tale of Captain Nemo and his submarine crew, as they travel around the world under the sea. This book is recommended for eight to twelve year olds, and is two-hundred and twelve pages. Jules Verne has written other great books such as Around the World in Eighty Days, and A Journey to the Center of the Earth.

The City of Ember

This book is about two children, Lina and Doom, who live in the city of Ember. Ember was built to sustain human survival. However, after hundreds of years, there is almost no food, and corruption is spreading throughout the city. The children wonder if the parchment fragments they found will help them find a way out of Ember. This book is written in third person, focusing on Lina and Doom. It is a lovable book and children of all ages will read it again and again.

Steampunk

An introduction to Steampunk would be best served by The Jupiter Chronicles. The Jupiter Chronicles: The Secret of the Great Red Spot
The novel is set in 1892, and Ian and Callie Castillo live with their single mother after their father disappeared. Ian’s last gift from his
father was a telescope. Callie looks into the telescope and is transported to the world of Jupiter where she and Ian must save their father. This
book is a fascinating and fun read (set in third person) that really enthralls its readers.

Conclusion

All in all, there a lot of science-fiction books geared towards children. The best book to start your child off on a love of sci-fi would be the
classics by Jules Verne, followed by Heinlein’s books.

This book is presented as a series of interviews with survivors the zombie war, dubbed World War Z. Looking back at the war in hindsight, each interview covers a crucial stage of the zombie war. The interviews cover the global disease outbreak known as the Great Panic, Israel’s preventive quarantine methods and the efficiency of various combat methods against zombie hordes. The thing that makes this book special is the intense level of detail used to create the backstory of so many well rounded characters in their individual chapters.

I love space opera science fiction novels. I just do. That is why I am delighted that in the past few years it has risen in popularity among readers and writers alike. Now, admittedly defining what is a space opera is kind of tricky since it is so broad. However, something that characterizes all space operas is that their stories are big and take place in much of a galaxy or galaxies. Here I have chosen what I consider the best space opera science fiction books to review.

Consider Phelbas (Culture series, book 1) by Iain M. Banks

In this is the first of a planned series, the main protagonist, Horza, is flung into an unexpected, life-altering adventure with a long string of crazy, and very interesting situations. In the course of all this, Horza happens upon all manner of colorful friends and allies. The wild action in all of these situations is possibly one of the most detailed in all of the science-fiction genre. But it never gets tedious. Banks has a very good way of making every detail interesting.

Hyperion by (Hyperion Cantos, book 1) by Dan Simmons

The mighty Shrike inhabits the planet of Hyperion and guards the entrance to the Valley of the Time Tombs. On the eve of a great war, seven adventurers venture forth to find a way to the time-traveling tombs in order to the future of humanity. Along the way you will get to know each of these personalities whose lives will become even more mysterious and complex than the Shrike or Hyperion itself. This is a great read of human drama and interpersonal complexity.

Revelation Space by Alistair Reynolds

This first in a planned trilogy is a space opera with a really big scope. The writing of this novel is very dense and deep. At times it can be very difficult reading. It is all worth it. It has achieved countless accolades from critics all around the world. All the praise is very well deserved with this being the kind of writing that stays with you your entire life. It will undoubtedly be considered one of the best space opera novels ever.

Abaddon’s Gate (Expanse, Book 3) by James Corey

This last book in the Expanse trilogy opens up with Jim Holden and his crew journeying with a large military convoy to investigate a reported alien artifact that has the possibility of changing all of human life. No one is sure, however, whether this is a good change or a really bad change as in possibly destroying all of the inhabited planets. This final book tells the story of the amazing things they find out.

Dune by Frank Herbert

This space opera was written in 1965 and is widely considered a Science Fiction classic. Many consider it to be the greatest science fiction book of all time. This multiple award-winning book has become the top-selling science fiction novel of all time. Dune should be considered science fantasy since so much of it belongs in the fantasy genre. It is piled high with lots of geeky sci-fi concepts and technology that most of us geeks love more than anything else.

I am positive that you will learn to love these great books as much as I do. You may even love them more. So have fun stretching your mind in the gigantic stretches of these massive galaxies and their many big stories. And these may be my favorite and what I consider the best, but there are many more very good ones. Enjoy them all. One is sure to be in your opinion the best space opera science fiction book.

Insurgent is the second book of the Divergent series by Veronica Roth. This book starts rolling right where book one left off and enjoys more action and character development than the first book did. Beatrice becomes a stronger character, which helps to drive the
plot as she seeks the truth.

Legend by Marie Lu, tells the stories of two remarkable teens through alternating points of view of Day and June, who live in very different places within The Republic. The story is vaguely reminiscent of Aladdin, as Day is very poor and must steal to survive and help others, while June is from a very prominent family and poised to be a person of some standing. This novel is fast-paced and unpredictable.

In The Maze Runner, by James Dashner, Thomas wakes up remembering nothing but his own name. He is trapped with thirty other boys in an enclosed environment called The Glade. Thomas and the other boys work to try to find their way out of the maze through the book.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer was a dystopian spin on the classic Cinderella. Cinder is a cyborg who lives in a futuristic China. The book introduces a world of technology and wonder and fantasy as it moves between space, royalty, and robots.